Here is a link to the ESPN picks. Out of the 12 people who picked, 10 have us going to the postseason with 7 picking us as a wild card and 3 picking us to win the NFC South. Only Hoge has us going to the Superbowl and then losing to the Colts. I will say that I think this is the Colts year. Their offense is unstoppable, but with the pick up of Simon I think their D just improved greatly. Of course the Pats are the teams to beat, but I don't see how you can go against the Colts. As for the NFC, I don't see how those other two people didn't pick us to even make the playoffs. Come on now. The Giants!?!?! I know we have a history of never having back to back winning seasons, but this team will make the playoffs one way or another. Anyway, here you go:

We'll get over the hump this year. Our WR's may be a little greener, but we are no worse off than last year. Our O-line is no worse, Vick will be at least a little better. Our defense is better all around that last year, (except at corner, which I must admit scares me a little). As far as losing Jasper and T. Hall I think Lavalais/Babineaux/Shropshire will be more than good enough to replace them. Chauncey Davis will have a decent year playing in a rotation. Our LB's are a lot better this year.

I don't see us not losing the division. Even with the brutal scedule the worst of it is played in the Dome, which will be a big help. I don't think TB will give us as much of a problem as they have in the past, and I think the Saints are just doomed. That just leaves Carolina, and they have never beat Vick and the Falcons before and I don't see taking both games this year, if they take any from us.

Even if we don't win the division we still we at least make the playoffs, the NFC is just to weak still for us not to. We (despite what the national media says) have a lot of talent on this team. I would be very, VERY surprised to see us have a losing season this year.

Our WR's may be a little greener, but we are no worse off than last year.

We hope.

Quote:

Our O-line is no worse

We can only hope.

Quote:

Vick will be at least a little better.

We hope.

Quote:

Our defense is better all around that last year,

We hope.

Not trying to be a smart ass, but I think we all see a trend here. We can all hope the Falcons have improved, but the fact of the matter is that there are alot of other teams that have improved in the NFC as well. We have a tough schedule, if not the toughest in the NFL. I do think the Falcons have a good shot to break the streak of not having winning seasons, but with this schedule I can see them going anywhere from 7-9 to 9-7. We will have to wait and see though, won't we!

Really I understand there are a lot of if's, but honestly how risky is it to assume those if's are going to fall our way. I am not sure of many of you had the pleasure to attend any games last year, but having seen the team play live on several occasions I was able to make observations I would not have been able to make otherwise. This said, Peerless Price was not a good wide out. Maybe he was a good wideout that didn't try, but none the less he often struggled at all aspects of the position. He could not get off the line, he was unable to beat double teams, he often gave up on routes, actually the only thing he did well consistently was block. That said, I do not think we are any worse off than last year. As far as our O-line goes, the only new starter is Lehr, and he should be at least able to play at the same level as the various people who filled that role last year. So I can't say I see us declining any there. To argue than Ed Hartwell is not an improvement over Chris Draft is just silly. As solid as Matt Stewart was he was a liability against the pass, DeMo and Reese will be able to at the least play at that level, but I see them doing a lot better. Cory Hall is not on our team so the secondary is better already. The D-Line isn't worse off with the changes either. Lavalais has proven to me so far that he can be at least as steady as Ed Jasper. Babs has shown me a lot to. Chauncey is a better answer as a wave DE than T Hall was. That said....I also am not trying to be a smart ass either, I completely understand and recognize the many "if's" surrounding this team. All I am saying is that I don't think the if's are that big, I think we have the players and that they all will pan out, and I don't think I take that big of a risk saying that.

I hear where you are coming from myweb, but with our schedule mixed in with the youth of this team, we need a lot of lucky bounces to go 9-7 or better. We won what, 6 games by 4 points or less last year.. does that mean the Falcons were that good or got some lucky breaks along the way? Probably a little of both.

Anyhoo, no one is routing for the Falcons more than me, but we aren't going to sneak up on anyone this year and we will have some "tests" along the way.

It also comes down to stupid mistakes Angry. Remember the detroit game? There was no wy in hell we should've won that game, but Vick chocked big time. 4 lost fumbles and an INT right ito the hands of the LB. And if I remember Detroit turned almost all of those TO into points.

But also remember the curse we have. The curse of the 2nd half. Last year it was much improved from the 2003 season where almost every game we were ahead at half only to turn out 5-11. But we still seem to get vanilla and/or loose our focus/composure.

I dont know if its the coaches fault or what but it MUST be corrected or else we are in for trouble.

Vickis I see the resemblance and it is really quite eerie....I will concede that we got a few lucky breaks last year, but we played a couple of good teams lasy year too. Even some of the teams that we're below .500 were not bad teams. Arizona for example gave NE fits last year. We clobbered Denver. We almost beat SEA with a lot of our 2nd teamers in. Again I don't think we have to catch a lot of lucky breaks along the way, I think a team creates its own luck. How many games did Carolina win by 3 points when they went to the Super Bowl? or even NE for that matter. What seperates a good team from a bad team is being able to pull out close games. We were 5-1 in games decided by 3 or fewer points last year. (I think that stat is correct, correct me if I am wrong) That means our other 6 wins were by more than 3 points. We exhibited the ability to finish games last year, and with what I think is a better team this year I am sure we will be able to do the same. Also I am not nearly afraid of a lot of the teams we play as other people are. I am not afraid of the Bills (at some point Losman will give us some turnovers, he young), Jets (overrated...), I am not afraid of Sea, or Carolina (I know it may be silly to write off a team just because they have never beaten you before but I will still do it)We may not go 13-3 or even 11-5, but I see us at least getting ten wins, and winning the division.

I recognize your pessimism as being competely valid, but to me history is just that, history. What happened 20, 15, 10, 5, or even one or two years ago has very little to do with this team.This has been a good discussion, and please don't think your comments have offended me because they have not. I really think we are better off this season without Peerless, I think Finneran is a better answer than Price, and he will ve our 3-4 reciever by the bye week, (hopefully Roddy will pan out). If we can get to the bye with a winning record then I am positive we will win the division. At least all of out really tough games are at the beginning of the season in the dome.

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